Missing Gun from the SMS Königsberg

[danebrog]

None of this photographic evidence is absolutely conclusive; I would like to know the provenance of the two “Kibata Gun” photos and I would like to know if the “Kibata Gun” has a big Crack in the Cradle.

I know of one picture who is labelled by the South African National Museum of Military History as "Kibata".
Most oviously there is a similar "crackn but I have not the slightest clue of the reason for this.

cheers
Olli

[CPT Bob]

I contend that the photographs show LT Reinhold Kohtz with the first Krupp carriage after unloading the gun from the train at the Dodoma Depot on the north side of the railway line soon after arriving from Dar Es Salaam.

Several helpful people in Belgium and South Africa are trying to confirm or deny my theory by checking for photographs that were taken in the vicinity of Tabora that may show the Itaga Gun. There may be photos of victorious Belgians posing with the gun (as they did at Korogwe-Kahama), or the gun may be sitting at a collection site near the Tabora Depot along with all the other captured/abandoned German artillery and equipment.

If I am correct, it is only because LT Kohtz was a great soldier! (OK….. “Sailor”…Ha!)

Bob

http://members.gaponline.de/alois.schwa ... inhold.htm

http://collections.lib.uwm.edu/cdm/ref/ ... ica/id/294

[CPT Bob]

Does anyone know the provenance of this photograph?

I believe that one of the gentlemen may be LT Reinhold Kohtz. If I am correct, then it must have been taken in the vicinity of General Wahle’s headquarters in August or September 1916. If that is true, then I may also have a good idea of whom some of the others are as well.

Thanks,
Bob

[Tanzania]

The results about the research of Lt. Reinhold Kohtz is very interesting.

If I am correct, then it must have been taken in the vicinity of General Wahle’s headquarters in August or September 1916.
http://members.gaponline.de/alois.schwa ... inhold.htm

The answer / comment to this is "yes" but a qualified "yes" because it’s really difficult to compare both photos.

The time-difference between your shown picture is after all, nearly 50 Years! If am not completely mistaken
the other photo has been already shown in another (or this?) forum, with the explanation, that these officers
and NCO are from a special (17?) German Field-Company during the campaign in Portuguese-East-Africa in 1917.

[CPT Bob]

Gentlemen, thank you.

It is not LT Reinhold Kohtz; we know he surrendered to the Belgians in the vicinity of Tabora. The photograph of Lieutenant Wenig on horseback is well known. The others were all taken at the same spot. Notice how the shadows change length. The photographer was stationary for hours as a “Parade” passed.

Not LT Holtz http://edocs.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/vollte ... 1/8016838/

English Prisoners http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/ostafrika_1914.htm

Major Kraut (?) http://edocs.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/vollte ... 1/8009863/

Standing Roadside http://edocs.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/vollte ... 1/8016838/

Walking on Road http://edocs.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/vollte ... 1/8014922/


The presence of “English” POWs is interesting. (Were POWs taken into Portuguese EA?) Several hide their faces.

I think that the officer standing in the middle of the road may be Major Kraut.

I still believe that it is LT Kohtz with a Krupp carriage at Dodoma depot.

Bob

[Tanzania]

I still believe that it is LT Kohtz with a Krupp carriage at Dodoma depot.

Gut instinct? – It could be possible; – I know this feeling very well (. . . and the dissatisfaction when I can´t prove this.)

Anyway; –The other statements are coherent!

[CPT Bob]

I have attempted to both identify the many assumptions in my theories and then to confirm or deny each one. Many are not yet proven. I have studied all the evidence that we have collected and I have tried to answer the “who, what, where, when and why” for the Krupp-Depot photographs.
Yes…..a bit of instinct and experience and deduction….and a lot of SWAG. (Scientific Wild-Assed Guess) Ha!

I have been studying Lieutenant C. Dale’s photograph collection at the IWM. Chris, how old are you?

It is “Easter”; I believe that now is a good time to dscuss the likely origin of “The Jesus Gun”.

I understand that Wenig reported that he used explosives to disable his gun in the vicinity of Mahiwa. (Is this correct?)
Frankenburg used explosives to destroy his gun in the vicinity of Masasi.
Mahiwa is located on the main line of communication (road/railway) between Masasi and the harbor at Lindi.

Sergeant Thomas Southern and the 29 Motor Ambulance Convoy (MAC) was stationed at Masasi. Various Army motor vehicle maintenance & repair units also had their shops and bivouacs set up around Masasi (which was located at a crossroads).

The legend of the Elephant’s Graveyard is revealed!
The British also established an extensive maintenance depot at Masasi. The operation utilized a small-gauge railway to retrieve damaged vehicles from collection points along the trolley/tram line. Is this the “railway” that ran to Lindi? (There were stacks of Ford Model-T bodies over here, frames over there, tires, doors, engines; “Ford Heaven”! Ha!)

If this is correct, then SGT Southern only had to move the salvaged gun component parts to the railway tracks. The facilities to build the Jesus Gun were available at Masasi. The completed Jesus Gun was transported to Dar Es Salaam. (I can not imagine “Why”, but the British obviously did!)

Many different photos of the Masasi gun exist showing the barrel was split, the “wheel-lock/firing-brake” mechanism and the elevation mechanism were damaged and a wheel was knocked-off.

I contend that one of SGT Southern’s photos shows the Masasi gun’s Krupp carriage (after the split gun barrel and damaged mechanisms were removed and the wheel was put back on) and a DAR Caisson (the same wheels as the Stanleyville Limber) being readied for towing.

If you put a big wooden tool-box on a homemade Limber, does it become a Caisson? Ha!

I contend that another of SGT Southern’s photos show a 10.5cm barrel being dragged along a dirt road, using long logs as “skids”. The barrel was likely salvaged from the Mahiwa gun and then mounted onto the Masasi gun’s Krupp carriage after the damaged parts were removed. In this configuration it was transported to Dar Es Salaam and eventually the KAR took it to Fort Jesus.

At your service,
Bob

http://www.wartime.iwm.org.uk/collectio ... /205250352
http://www.wartime.iwm.org.uk/collectio ... /205250382

[CPT Bob]

I was wrong! C’est la vie!

The maker of the postcard did not “crop” a larger photograph; he simply “borrowed” another. Regardless, the description printed in French on the vintage postcard is 100% incorrect.

Bob

[CPT Bob]

Does anyone know the ultimate fate of Oblt. z.S. Richard Wenig?

During the NAZI era, he became closely associated with Franz von Epp. Eventually, Korvettenkapitan Richard Wenig became the Stabsleiter of the Kolonialpolitische Amt der NSDAP, until the organization was deactivated circa 1943. There are many photographs posted on the internet showing the two men together.

Von Epp’s post-war fate is well-known, but Wenig’s fate is unclear.

I also found photos showing von Epp with Robert Wagner....and one of Hitler with Wagner. I am sure the "remarks" are coming. Ha!

Bob

[keesuit]

Dear Sirs, for something completely different, does any of you have a cartridge case of this type of gun at home?
Or, more specific, does anyone know how thick the brass of these cases is?
I am asking as a mister Rautenberg told in a lecture in 1976 that part of the GEA 5 heller 1916 coins, struck in Tabora, where struck on brass blanks cut from such cartridge cases. To check this story I would need to know thicknes of the cases.
So if you have any information, please tell me.

Does the name Rautenberg ring any bells?

[Chris Dale]

Good questrion, that would make complete sense. I'm afraid I don't know the answer but I will look into it and reply here if I find the answer...
Cheers
Chris

[Kallag]

This image is included in the IWM photo archive.....with a comment of "no description available"

Could these be Konigsberg barrels. The 360 degree traversable fixed mounts (two) shown behind the barrels match those seen in pictures of the Jinja mount.

Where could the picture have been taken? Looks like some shed on a quay projecting into the sea. The palms may well be indicative of an East African coastal location.
Any thoughts..

[Chris Dale]

No, these are Emden guns in Australia sorry. Still its a great photo, showing details of the same barrel and mountings as used on the Kberg...

Cheers
Chris

[Kallag]

Ah, makes sense now thanks Chris.

Would have been damn nice had that picture been an East African one.

Kallag

[Chris Dale]

Here's one that CPT Bob just pointed out to me. An Italian cartoon based on the Kberg's story...
http://www.fumettologica.it/2015/07/aff ... icheluzzi/